


Chasing the light

by joouheika



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:27:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21949576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joouheika/pseuds/joouheika
Summary: They'll keep fighting for their dreams. (SPOILERS UP TO CHP 68)
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager, rivaere
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	Chasing the light

**Author's Note:**

> *this work was originally published in 2016

The sun is still bright above as Levi carries Eren in his arms.

The wall is far behind them as Levi walks past fields of tall green grass, the stalks swaying in the slight breeze just as the mantle over his shoulders does. His steps heavier than usual with Eren’s added weight. Eren’s brow scrunches as he registers the sound to be not as he knows it before his eyes flutter open, blinking against the white light of just about midday.

It’d been barely at dawn when they’d begun Hanji’s experiment. One of dozens they’d be doing through the day and far into the night. Or so the ritual had gone previously. They’d been working tirelessly for weeks to perfect his newer techniques. The relentless transformations must have taken its toll because if he is being carried… Eren realises… then it must mean-

“Awake are you? Eren.”

Captain Levi’s voice pulls apart at Eren’s drowsiness but still within it Eren remains, always one to be difficult to recapture from slumber.

Eren reaches to touch at Levi’s face, still blinking away the light but there is no hand upon that reach to confirm that this is not a dream and so a dream this remains, and a dream this could be. Eren then reaches with his face uplifted, nuzzling his nose against his Captain’s neck, Eren’s breath warm beneath Levi’s chin.

“Where are you taking me sir?” Eren asks.

Levi is quiet, one step two and three until he feels Eren’s gentle lips against his cheek.

He explains.

“You passed out in the middle of an experiment and I had to cut you out. Stubborn brat. If you wanted to sleep so badly you could have just stayed in my bed.”

Eren’s expression though Levi cannot see it at this angle, is much sourer than the polite speech that leaves his lips.

“Excuse me for saying this, but there is never much sleep to be had in your bed Captain Levi. Please set me down. I shall walk to my bed where sleep can be done.”

When Levi refuses to set Eren down.

Eren begins to wiggle and try to worm his way out from Levi’s strong grasp.

“Sir! Please! If we are returning to headquarters, I really can walk on my own!”

Levi’s reply is cutting and curt, annoyed and unamused like the sigh that came before it.

“And just how will you do that? With only one leg? Wake up already, sleeping beauty and take a good look not only around you but at yourself as well.”

Eren looks.

Not only is his right hand missing but so is a good portion of his left leg after the thigh.

Eren gapes in alarm. That his regenerative abilities haven’t kicked in yet… even though it’d felt like he’d slept long enough.

But it couldn’t have been long enough if he’s yet to regrow his limbs, that hand and the fact that they are only presently reaching headquarters with quite a few curious eyes upon them.

Eren ducks his head and tries to hide his face against Levi’s shoulder as he cradles his handless arm, trying to keep that out of sight as much as his red face. The dark marks that are usually so obvious after his transformations almost meld into the shade of crimson he’s turned.

Levi’s voice a low rumble that Eren feels being held so tightly against his chest as Levi presses him closer and hurries his steps into the building.

“That’s a good boy, Eren.”

\--

Eren has become a quick learner with all those experiments brought upon by Hanji and under Levi’s ever watchful guidance. 

Still that being so, he is lethargic and asleep again by the time Levi reaches his quarters. Levi has to admit out of everything they’ve gained by initiating the rebellion and making Historia queen, a nicer building for headquarters is the best of it. Because it holds something extremely important.

Pipes.

The water runs through the building and they need not carry it and heat it in the kitchens. It flows hot or cold depending on the setting you chose and there is no need to leave the room and break a sweat to get water that you were trying to get to wash a sweat off in the first place.

Eren is sleeping on Levi’s bed for all his indignance as Levi runs the bath. Both their mantles and coats hanging up neatly at his wardrobe. Levi rolls up a shirt sleeve before placing a hand beneath the running water. Waiting for it to heat up and be hot enough for Eren who he’s discovered likes hot baths almost just as much as he does. Or had that only come to be because Eren gets to take a bath with him? Levi is pleased at his own thought despite that it’s unlikely.

Steam begins to cling to the window high above and to the mirror. Condensation slides from the cooler air that comes from the cracked door that leads back to where his sleeping beauty lies.

Levi wipes his hand and arm dry with a towel after turning the water off and testing the full tub, making sure the heat is right.

It’s not nearly as scorching as the steam that’d arisen earlier today when they’d still been out on the field and Levi had had to hack Eren out from his titan form. Eren’s movement unusual then halting with his exhaustion.

The blood on Levi’s blades have long disappeared, but Levi will be sure to clean and sharpen those blades as soon as it can be done.

For the time being, a more pressing matter is at hand.

\--

Eren hears the sound of dripping water.

He blinks back not the bright light of before but the hazy, dimmed from the steam and the later day sunlight that comes through a single window.

Eren knows this place.

He leans back against Levi’s chest as he watches the Captain leisurely and thoroughly wash his arm, careful at the end where skin has healed over yet a hand is still yet to be.

Eren turns a little within Levi’s arms, nestled in them as Levi presses his mouth to Eren’s damp hair. Then his lips as Eren turns to him to give him a kiss. Drawing back with a content sigh. Eren turns back to look over his body. Eren can tell Levi has done most of the work already.

“You’re not going to ask me if I’m awake? Captain.”

Levi has moved on to the other arm.

“Ain’t a kiss what confirms it? Eren.”

Eren’s voice had been loud, especially in the bathroom, with its tiled walls and floor.

Eren is frowning.

“No sir, I gave you a kiss. If you want me to wake, you’re the one who has to kiss me. Got it?”

There’s a loud splash as Levi pulls Eren closer, roughly to him. Turning him over so Eren will be facing him again.

“Is that so? It seems to me you’re giving me an order when I’m your superior officer?”

Eren rolls over fully so he is facing Levi. Their legs intertwine and their stomachs and chests touch as Eren hovers his mouth over Levi’s.

“Is that not good sir? Can you not have some leniency for me?”

Levi can see how long Eren’s eyelashes are from this proximity, damp like his hair and just as dark, even against his flushed cheeks. He feels Eren’s arms about his shoulders, almost hesitant as Eren sighs and Levi can feel that too.

And without a doubt Eren can, and has been feeling it this whole while. Levi’s hard cock once pressed against his plump ass and the small of his back, now rubbing against Eren’s erection as he asks for a kiss.

“Captain, please. Forgive my forwardness, you can punish me if you like. But first, I have to wake do I not?”

Levi will give Eren more than a kiss.

Levi grips at Eren’s hips, gyrating them down and grinding his cock against Eren’s. Moving a hand to fist the both of them as he presses his mouth over Eren’s. Eren crying out briefly in surprise and delight as Levi shoves his tongue in Eren’s mouth. Eren’s tongue meeting his, tasting and sucking, parting. Eren’s lips red as Levi bites at them. Eren is panting as Levi moves his other hand from Eren’s hip to his round ass. Groping it as he’d done earlier when he’d given Eren a thorough wash as he slept. Levi is more than ready and has been more than ready, to give whatever his princess wants to him.

Eren pulls Levi closer to him as he draws his arms tighter around his shoulders, trying to rise the best he can on his knees. As much as he can since one leg is still half missing. Eren is annoyed he’s only one hand to put through Levi’s hair. Mussing it up and slicking it back with how heavy it is in the wet of the steam that can no longer escape with the door closed. Levi helps Eren by bringing both his hands back to Eren’s hips, holding him up as he’d wanted. Directing him where Levi too wants Eren to go-

Eren is kissing his brow, his cheek, latching his mouth over Levi’s and moaning as their tongues touch. Eren is rubbing his nipples against his, his smaller hot cock against his hard stomach, the muscle there. All as Levi directs Eren to sit on his cock. Eren nearly out of the water this duration of time- Levi brings Eren back into the water as Eren brings Levi back inside him. Flexing his hips forward as he moans, fingers clenching in Levi’s hair as his other arm is fully flung over Levi’s shoulder, trying to draw him nearer as Eren sinks down into the water and Levi ebbs up inside Eren’s tight and hotter heat.

The back of Levi’s neck is to the cooler porcelain of the tub as he tilts his head back but his gaze is still keenly upon Eren as he moans as well. Levi is near swearing, briefly panting as Eren presses his lips against his throat, kissing it and his chin. Moving quickly like he does on Levi’s cock. Eren cries out when Levi presses a hand to the small of his back. Urging Eren to move less hurriedly on account of the splashing water (the mess it’s making) and the mess he wants to leave inside Eren. Levi wants Eren to slide himself slowly up and down his cock so Levi can feel all of Eren’s softness and savour all his heat thoroughly. Levi watches as tears form at the edge of Eren’s eyes and fall. Eren just wants Levi to be inside him as swiftly and deeply as possible but as Eren had teased Levi before Levi can’t help but tease Eren now. Eren had said he’d accept his punishment hadn’t he?

Levi has Eren fuck himself slowly on his cock. Water covering and falling, dripping down over Eren’s back and his plump ass with every motion. Eren’s moaning and crying getting higher with every thrust Levi meets him with, the sweat on his back washed away by the water that splashes upon it as he rises forward, drawing Eren into his arms, a tight embrace. Eren looks to him imploringly and Levi can’t help but kiss him. Eren murmuring his name, crying it out as Levi moves into him deeply, hitting against his prostate, more and more. Drawing out less and keeping Eren full of him. Eren overjoyed to keep him. Levi gives there to be reason for another bath so soon after this one in session as he cums heavily inside Eren. Eren unbearably hot around him. It feels as if the water itself has taken on Eren’s heat and the room is just as thick with steam as it’d been from the beginning.

Resting back against the tub and inside Eren, with Eren still in his arms. Eren is smiling at him, pleased to have gotten his kiss and on account of the fact that Levi has yet to draw out of him. Needing Eren’s warmth considering the amount of water that’s ended up on the floor. 

Levi looks around him almost sourly, before turning to look back to Eren, who is exhausted yet moving to lean forward and sweetly kiss him. 

Levi feels Eren’s hands in his hair as he opens his mouth to Levi, always wanting Levi inside him, more and more. Levi rests an arm over Eren’s rolling hips, a hand on one. His other hand on the back of Eren’s neck as they kiss deeply. Eren able to draw back and sit back fully on his knees. Levi can feel the no longer missing calf and foot. Eren can feel as two sets of toes curl when Levi grabs at the back of his neck to get and give another kiss.

Levi is looking over Eren’s body as Eren sits back once more upon his cock, Eren shivering and trembling. Levi grips the sides of Eren’s arms and drags them down to his hands, drawing the right one rejoined and regained to his hand firmly and then drawing it to his lips. Levi kisses at Eren’s ring finger before kissing the rest, the knuckles and Eren’s wrist, up his arm until Eren can bear it no longer and moves to give Levi another kiss on the lips.

When Eren’s lips part from his, Levi speaks-

“Good work Eren. You’ve both your hand and foot back. Are you ready for your next punishment?”

\--

The next punishment involved not cleaning the bathroom as Eren had expected but for his earlier (and true!) statement about never getting any sleep in Levi’s bed. It’s to Levi’s bed (muchly Eren’s as well, given he’s rarely in his no longer a dungeon quarters despite his happiness to receive an actual room) they go after a rinse off and a towel off. Sleep seemingly likely, until Levi suggests they exercise both Eren’s hands and knees to make sure both are in working order. It’s on his knees that Eren accepts his next punishment as he fists his right hand around Levi’s thick shaft and sucks his Captain’s large cock. Levi testing his own grip by not only placing it in Eren’s soft hair as Eren sucks him off but also when Eren is done swallowing down his cum, drawing Eren into his lap. Eren turning upon it. Levi beats Eren off. Stroking his face then groping his chest as he feels Eren’s soft ass rub over his stomach and thighs as Eren flexes back and up into his calloused hand, complaining despite his moans of pleasure all the while how hard it is to get any kisses from this angle.

Levi feeling just the same, and when they finally do turn in for the night, Eren insists on getting as many good night kisses as Levi does. It’s regrettable that come morning Levi will be unable to count the love marks he’s left on Eren’s pretty skin to be of a similar amount as the love marks Eren left on his. (Though Levi would argue should the subject come up that he’s surely left more despite Eren being keen about biting). They’re already healing, his marks, fading in the heavy dark of ascended night as he runs his fingers over where many had been only moments before. Levi counts as many as he can as he too falls asleep next to his already deep in slumber sleeping beauty.

\--

Eren shivers as he wakes.

He rises slowly and reluctantly, the blankets sliding off his shoulder as he looks about the room. Seeing the wardrobe where their clothes hang. The table he will sometimes place a vase of flowers on (the flowers often a gift from Captain Levi). Various cleaning supplies neatly arranged, their sets of gear in similar fashion. The nightstand with an old clock. The dressers. One with a music box that Eren had to show Levi how to wind- the Captain having never seen such a thing before. Atop the second dresser a shaving kit. Eren’s vision moves over to the unlit hearth. A mirror. Eren barely registers the extreme case of bed head to be reflected in the mirror as himself as he’s looking for the missing Captain that is usually beside him.

Levi is prone to waking before him, used to waking Eren before they’d started dating and given Eren’s inability to leave his dreams though it was not unheard of but extremely rare that Eren would wake before Levi. But just as that is so, this is most unusual. While Levi would wake before Eren, it’s not like him to leave their bed after a night (and day) such as the one they’d just had. Usually Eren would wake to much more than a morning kiss.

Eren is frowning, as he worries over if it’d been urgent business that’d dragged his Captain away from him. Had he been summoned by the Commander? Were they being attacked by rebels of the revolution? Titans? Eren is wide awake at that last thought and has forgotten how cold he is not only sans Captain but sans clothes. He’s still deep in thought even as Captain Levi returns. So deep within it, concerned and anxious, he doesn’t notice the door opening and closing. Levi moves rather silently given his days from the underground and learning to be careful of his bulk, oft clumsy on others but honed upon him. Levi looks over Eren’s steadily rising panicked form a few moments more, dragging his eyes across Eren’s naked skin before saying, tone its usual.

“Eren.”

Eren jumps where he’s seated on the bed and turns sharply to Levi.

“Yes sir!”

Levi stares at Eren.

“Good morning.”

Eren salutes.

“Good morning Captain Levi!”

Levi sets down the tray he’d been carrying of their breakfast. That he might have bullied the present occupants of the kitchen to assist him in cooking (after thoroughly thoroughly washing their hands and everything).

There’s piles of crispy bacon Levi knows Eren won’t protest, along with buttered toast and what is the wrong eggs Eren will protest. Their fight of scrambled (Levi doesn’t like the yolk much) vs sunny side (Eren wants the yolk orange and running… raw Levi will say with disgust) still ongoing. Along with all this, the usual black tea. Ready for his morning tea, Levi sits on his chair, crossing his legs and throwing an arm over the back of the seat. Levi continues to look at Eren.

Levi takes up his cup of tea.

Levi is already in uniform but as mentioned, Eren is still a sight Levi enjoys very much.

“Unless you want to make me hungry for more than just breakfast I suggest changing your attire.”

Eren throws a pillow at Levi that Levi catches without so much as blinking. Not wanting to spare a second away from seeing Eren’s cute ass as Eren jumps off from their bed to get dressed so they can begin another day.

\--

It is bright today too as Levi tells Eren they’ll be taking out the horses this time.

It is not too far away, the grounds where the training is held but Eren does not question Levi’s orders and readies his horse, mounting it, following close after Captain Levi as they leave the stables posthaste. Eren figures they’re just late, wondering what sort of training is to be had with how unusual it is that Levi has packed a rather extensive amount of luggage for just a simple ride to the fields… is what Eren is thinking. Until he starts to slow down, realising they are not going in the direction of the training fields but the opposite of it. Towards the fencing that bars civilians and others from crossing over here into territory that it is presently under the Survey Corps’ jurisdiction.

Levi glances back and on seeing that Eren has slowed down, steadily putting two and two together-

“Hey Eren. What did I say about staying close to me? Hurry it up!”

Eren looks sharply, confusedly to Captain Levi. Upset at the too much of a distance between them is from his negligence. That despite that he is disobeying his Captain’s orders in this fashion he still has the audacity to want to know what is going on-

“My apologies sir! But… but! This isn’t the right way to the training grounds is it?!”

Levi turns back around to reply but before he can he is interrupted. 

“THAT’S RIGHT EREN IT’S NOT!!!”

A disheveled as usual and hurrying Hanji has tracked them down, running towards them. Moblit trying to catch up with her and some of Eren’s friends behind Moblit wondering what’s going on.  
Hanji yells, goggles flapping bout her neck as she points towards past them-

“YOU TWO AT THE GATE! SHUUUT IT!!!!!!!”

The soldiers on duty who are guarding the gate look at her in confusion, then to each other in the same fashion. They had already been given the order to open the gate by Captain Levi… surely… his orders ranked above hers? But wait isn’t Squad Leader Hanji next in command to Commander Erwin? As the older recruit fights with the younger one over what they should do- they see Captain Levi’s murderous glare and consider if full mutiny will save their necks.

Levi hollers back to Eren, not slowing down his horse in the slightest as he kicks it into speed.

“EREN! THIS IS AN ORDER! You are not allowed to leave my side under any circumstance!”

Eren looks from Hanji’s heartbroken face to the back of Captain Levi’s head, knowing Levi’s expression is more than pissed off from the tone of his voice alone. Eren knows what choice he will regret least.

He kicks his horse into a gallop and catches up to Captain Levi. Both approaching at full speed to the gate that’s still open.

Hanji gives out a screech, hands flailing.

“What are you two doing?! Can’t you see Captain Levi is trying to kidnap the princess! Hurry up and close that gate! Hurry hurry!”

The soldiers hurry to do as she ordered at first, spurred by her desperation and enthusiasm; they abruptly change their minds as they wrangle about their thoughts and what it means to survive. Even more confused than before at her analogy- isn’t Historia the Queen and at her compound? They decide it’s in their best interests to disobey her rather than disobey Humanity’s Strongest… as Levi is far closer to them than she is and not only that. Levi has unsheathed one of his swords from his gear and means business with the killing intent he is admitting, his glare they’ve all seen before on cleaning day.

These two unfortunately on duty soldiers both dive out of the way as Captain Levi and Eren pass through the open gate.

The pair undeterred until they hear in the distance-

Hanji gleefully crowing.

“MIIIIKASA! I’M RELYING ON YOU TO GET EREN BACK!”

Eren hears Levi swear none too quietly.

Followed by Armin’s voice, worried-

“Wait Mikasa you can’t just-!”

Joined by Jean, Connie, and a few others in cheering for her support. Sasha yelling a stuttering warning about how fearsome horses are?! And how Captain Levi is even more terrifying?! And even with the gear Mikasa can’t be fast enough- oh wait?!!

Mikasa has caught up to them.

Leaping from the fencing and attaching wire along the ground then to the trees that align the path, some of the trees not strong enough to support her weight and the fury of her flight are being torn apart as she rushes to get ahead of them. Her favourite order has been issued, a specialty she’s as skilled with like slicing meat.

Just as Levi has, she has drawn her sword.

Flying close, she says, glaring-

“Captain Levi! I will have you return Eren to us!”

Mikasa readies her blade on seeing Levi’s backhanded grip but when she moves to strike, Levi pulls the reins on his horse, dodging the blow as he sheathes his blade. Mikasa is in shock as Levi allows Eren close to her but before she can make a move-

“Eren. Come here.”

Eren obeys.

Jumping from his saddle into Levi’s arms. Levi catches him and pulls Eren up to sit sideways upon his horse. All the while Eren’s horse continues advancing towards Mikasa who alarmed at what just happened and not wanting to accidentally cut the horse, sheathes her blade. She tries to dodge as Levi did, only for the horse. She swings round to the other side of the path, breaking the tree that breaks her fall.

As Levi rides away with Eren in his arms, Eren calls back to Mikasa who is standing on her feet, rising and shaking only because she is seething with anger that the Captain had gotten the best of her. Her anger is momentarily appeased as she hears Eren’s sweet voice call her name.

“Mikasa! Could you please bring back my horse to headquarters for me? Thanks! And be more careful next time!”

Mikasa returns to HQ with Eren’s horse, the ravaged forestry behind her more than a little noticeable as Commander Erwin has even left his office to see what the commotion was about. And instead of turning his displeased, frowning face at Mikasa he turns to Hanji.

“Sorry. I should have told you Levi would be taking the day off.”

Hanji who’d been distraught earlier, seems in a better mood with her defeat final.

She kicks at the dirt before her, arms behind her head momentarily.

“It’s fine! But that only means there’s more work for you and me!”

Hanji draws an arm down to point at the arm she draws before her.

“How about we get started on that contraption you were talking about?”

\--

They ride through the woods. Levi slowing his horse down when it is obvious they will no longer be pursued. 

There is a slight path, twisting up in a zig zag as the woods arch over a rocky hill. The path taken before the revolution to serve the lord of the mansion that is presently their HQ, by citizens of the town they are headed to.

There’s some big ass trees in these woods. They’re not nearly as magnificent as the trees beyond Wall Rose and then the trees outside the walls, past Wall Maria that Eren has even yet to see. Levi grips the reins a little tighter thinking on their next operation. If they can take back Wall Maria, then they can resume missions outside these shitty walls again.

He wants to show Eren. All those even bigger ass trees. The forestry there, the untouched wild, the sort of flowers that grow there since Eren loves flowers. That endless sky that they’ve even yet to know. If they could somehow be free of the titans…

Levi feels Eren’s hand upon his chest.

He barely glances down, deep in thought yet also trying to concentrate on directing his horse over this tricky path. Used to riding over fields, not up rocks. Eren has noticed Levi’s starting to drip sweat and is licking at what has gathered beneath his chin.

Levi feels Eren untie his cravat, holding it in his fist. With his other hand Eren starts to unbutton Levi’s shirt. To have a better look at Levi’s throat. Kissing at all the places he can, where his love marks are still. Licking and sucking at them, his hitched breath and slight sighs becoming less so and rising in volume the higher their ascent and farther into the woods they go. The trees’ touching leaves and entwined branches cover them, hiding them away from much of the sun. The rocky path turning to grassy.

Even so, sunlight shines through the few spots where some branches do not quite reach the other, stranded stray beams of light- a bright contrast, like hot and cold. The slight breeze no more on Levi’s neck as they travel thus. Eren’s wet and warm tongue trailing against his skin insistent, as Eren reaches to unbuckle Levi’s belt.

Eren turns in Levi’s lap, his legs wrapping round his hips, over his thighs as Eren brings an arm over his shoulders. Eren’s surer hand, the one regrown and not nearly touched, fisting and pumping his hard cock. Eren’s mouth, the scent of his skin and hair, the sweat on his body as well, his proximity… then going up and down on the path with each step- has teased Levi enough and must have been unbearable to Eren for him to be taking matters into his own hands without an order issued or permission granted.

Of the same thought, Levi has no complaints as Eren draws himself closer to Levi. Unbuttoning his trousers and taking his own cock out, Eren is fisting the both of them together. Levi watches Eren’s flushed face as he looks over their touching members, the differing size and variation of colour. Eren flexing his hips up against Levi’s. Moaning as their hardness touches together. Eren trying to keep a pleasurable grip around them, his sweating palm turning nervous when it feels he will cum before the Captain.

When Eren tells him as such.

Levi with his breath tight through his teeth-

“No Eren, together is better ain’t it?”

Eren nods, apologises, his lips trembling and brow furrowed.

How much he wants to cum, Levi can tell with every second his gaze remains (always) on Eren’s face, so close to his. He has half the mind to stop the horse right now and push Eren against one of these trees and take him from behind. Levi has fucked Eren against, below, atop, amongst many trees already but this is the first time they’re alone in these woods and it’s been too long a time since they’ve been able to be alone. Just the two of them as it was oft like before. It was different in those days, when Eren was unsure what Levi’s gaze upon him meant and why the Captain would have him take off his clothes for him. Eren knows better now, though every so often it seems like he forgets. He becomes shy as if they’re not lovers. Levi must admit that’s not bad either. Eren is adorable either way.

Eren has little of that shyness today as he strengthens his grip around their cocks, telling Levi he can’t wait any longer and won’t his Captain cum with him already?

Levi warns Eren that such indulgence will cost Eren later but Eren says he does not mind. Levi warns Eren of the mess, about to try to urge him on the idea of them demounting from the horse so Levi can mount Eren but Eren hasn’t the time. He wraps Levi’s cravat around their rubbing cocks and fisting with both hands, is determined the Captain cum with him this moment.

Leaning forward so that Levi can see down his shirt. Eren closes his eyes and kisses him hard over the mouth, the gait of the horse pushing him forward. When Eren cums Levi does as well.

\--

It’d been a most valiant effort for Eren to try to minimise the mess by using what he had at hand, but their cum combined soaks not only the cravat but gets over much of their trousers, Eren’s shirt and some of Levi’s coat.

They’d managed to find a stream to wash the tarnished articles of clothing in, along with themselves. Eren apologising about getting so much over Levi’s stomach. Levi thinks that might be one of Eren’s least sincere apologies he’s ever heard, given Eren wouldn’t stop staring at his abs all up until the moment Levi had put a shirt back on. Levi helps Eren turn his shirt around. Eren having put it on backwards, distracted. They’re in casual wear, Eren borrowing some of Levi’s clothes. Loose on him but short at the wrist and ankles. Their uniforms hung up on branches to dry for the meanwhile. It’s probably for the better they go into town outside of uniform. Levi had been meaning for them to change out of uniform anyway and figured something like this would happen; they couldn’t leave HQ out of uniform, given that’d be suspicious… if Hanji had been tipped off far sooner than she had by such an appearance Levi isn’t sure they’d be having this (forced, he might have used some blackmail he’d been saving for years on Erwin to convince him) rare free time.

Levi considers bringing his gear out to work on while they wait for their clothes to dry when he hears Eren’s stomach grumble. Eren is sitting against a tree, nearest to the stream. He’d been dipping his fingers in the water, liking how cool it feels. Watching as Levi’s horse had drank from the stream before it started nipping at the cold grass, chewing. Perhaps the horse grazing had reminded Eren lunch is in order, it is past noon.

Levi turns back to their luggage, rummaging and finding the food he’d packed, he joins Eren at the tree.

Sitting aside him.

Plopping down the bag with the lunch he’d packed between them. Levi takes out the paper and twine wrapped sandwiches he made, handing one to Eren who takes it gratefully. Eren looking from the unwrapped sandwich to Levi in surprise-

“Sir, this is…”

“I cooked it myself so it might be more done than you like it.”

To be honest it was more than a bit burnt, and the sauce was hiding a lot of the black.

“I tried to mimic what you made me before Eren, but,” Levi has begun to scowl as he looks at his work. It may be neatly done up and packed up that didn’t change the fact he’d burnt the food… and the taste- 

“Looks like it’s a bust.”

Eren is mindful to swallow, already halfway through the fried pork sandwich before speaking, gulping heavily as if he didn’t chew enough.

“It’s delicious sir! However I do not think… you put enough sugar in the sauce… this is a more adult taste isn’t it? As expected of the Captain!”

Levi wants to tell Eren to not force himself but Eren is nearly finished with the sandwich. Levi passes Eren the canteen of water, noting how pained that last swallow was. Levi searches about the bag until he finds the large peach he’d tried to be careful about not damaging, but he can tell he’s failed as he passes it into Eren’s outreached hands, noting all the bruises.

Eren eats the peach anyway, pleased by its sweetness.

Levi eats his sandwich measuredly trying to avoid getting crumbs over his lap and noting all the reasons wrong with the sandwich because he’d made it instead of Eren. 

“Really, thank you very much Captain Levi.”

While this meal could be eaten it was a far cry from the quality of food Eren could make having been taught by his mother, whose recipe this was to begin with- even so Eren still looks quite content from it. Since Captain Levi had went out of his way to make it for him. Eren turns to Levi, eyes green and glistening beneath the lush leaves of the trees above. A smile for Levi that causes him to pause all motion.

Eren tells him.

“Next time let us make it together. That way it will be better, won’t it sir?”

\--

It is evening when they make it out of the woods.

They check in at an inn.

Levi’s horse settled in a stable and their luggage in their room. Levi takes up a particular bundle that Eren assumes must have been buried in the large backpack as he’d not noticed it before when helping Levi put away their lunchtime items and when they’d needed clean clothes.

Levi carries the bundle in one hand while holding Eren’s hand in the other, warning that as they’re out for Eren to keep his hood up (a blue mantle today, a spare of various casual wear) and to stay close. Eren is laughing to himself about the hat Levi is wearing to make him a little less noticeable in the throng of people, as workers start to close shop, sell the last of their wares, housewives picking up the last of their groceries or laundry, children doing that one chore or errand they should have done when the day had begun- before going home for dinner that may still be cooking. 

Levi and Eren hold hands up to the point of coming to a shop Levi needs to be. That is all Eren is aware of as they reach it, being told nothing else aside from ‘they’ll be going out’. Levi makes sure the people walking past them are well out of view and none other coming down this street before he presses Eren against the nearest wall and kisses him, making sure Eren is breathless before pulling way. Doing this on purpose so he won’t hear a complaint from Eren about being told to wait outside the shop, not allowed in it but needing to stand at the edge of the open door so Levi can make sure of where he is.

It will only take a few minutes and Eren obediently waits, not being able to notice telltale anything about what the shop is for from the sign (two loops like infinity) and not wanting to delve too far should this be an errand Commander Erwin sent Captain Levi on. If such is the case either he need not know, or later they, the soldiers of the Survey Corps, would be informed.

Levi returns from the shop. He takes Eren’s hand in his, breaking away reluctantly only when he must enter another shop (for fabric?) Eren wonders seeing the rows of thread on the shelves from his place by the door though he’d been warned not to look in. He turns away before Levi returns; that hefty bundle no longer at hand but a somewhat long and fancy box in its stead.

Eren’s hand in Levi’s once more as they make their way back to the inn.

Along the way they pass by the bell towers. The towers are not nearly as tall as the wall, despite that its bells are used to exchange signals with the Garrison who man the walls; in case of emergency. The bells are also used to indicate the beginning and end of the day, as well as special occasions such as holidays, festivals, weddings, a new birth in the town, as well as a death. The bell above them that’s been rung echoes upon its few rings throughout the streets. Signaling that the market is closed and curfew is soon to be in place after the sun fully sets. 

They stop by the kitchens to order food, but have it as carry out instead of eating at a table like many of the other patrons. The mood joyous, especially among the poorer folk, that the crooked monarchy has been overthrown and soon… perhaps more land would be had for them all…

Levi carries the wine, the box tucked under his arm while Eren handles carefully the basket with the ceramic dish inside it, as well as a loaf bread. Levi notices Eren wistfully has one more glance back at the other diners. The diners joking amongst themselves, drinking ale and dancing as a band starts up with drums and guitar, the clap of hands and feet once people start dancing. That glance turned morose as he sees among the townsfolk are men and women in uniform, members of the Garrison. Levi waits for Eren to turn his way before placing his unhappily unoccupied hand on Eren’s hip. They go up the stairs to their room.

\--

It’s a trout, baked with herbs and butter, carrots and potatoes that is their meal along with bread that’s white and fluffy on the inside despite its crunchy tan crust. Some dark wine Eren does not drink much of despite that Levi finds it is not strong at all. He got what he paid for that’s for sure.

After they clean up from the meal, Levi finally works on his gear. Eren’s gear left back on his horse, which is surely being aggressively taken care of and looked after by Mikasa who will no doubt be fuming even after they’ve returned.

Levi chuckles slightly thinking about Mikasa’s usually serious gloomy face, alight with anger and distaste, as if that isn’t often the case for his face as well. Eren looks up from the book he’s reading, by the brighter light of the luminescent stones they’d found. The stones are much better for the eyes than candle light. Even if that’s so, Levi still finds their light too harsh for him.

Eren glances Levi’s way, about to ask what that sound was but thinking better of it. He sets his book down on the nightstand. Dimming the light of the stone. Rising from his lounging on the bed, he stretches and moves over to the window to open it up. The shutters making a clacking sound as he unlocks them and bars them out. Allowing the night air and the sound of the dining room below them to float up their way. The beat of the music still thriving and thrumming through the floorboards of near every room in the inn, theirs being no exception. They don’t have the most of it not being directly above the noise but they’re still close enough that opening the window matters.

Levi puts away his gear, swords sharpened and polished.

He rises from his spot on the floor, clearing away the mats and pillow he’d been using.

Tossing the pillow back on the bed where he’s only mildly surprise Eren is not sleeping. Eren is instead by the opened window, enjoying the slight breeze, keenly listening to the music. His tapping foot and moving body indication to what sort of activity he rather be doing however much he enjoys reading. It’s a book Levi brought besides, some technical shit they already study back at HQ. It’s just a sorta requirement they carry this kind of manual in case something on their gear or in protocol was forgotten and this was the only way they’d know; you have to risk your neck looking it up so you might be able to save your neck. 

Levi moves to stand aside Eren, watching him outright. Taking in the feel of that breeze as well. A breeze of a wind that travels over the walls and beyond them. However, being as they’re only at the edge of Wall Rose and not Wall Maria the wind carries none of the same scent as the wind as Levi has known it when it is free. Untarnished and untouched by these barriers of humankind. Another thing Eren has yet to know. That too Levi wants Eren to experience and he himself wants to experience once again. Pure and true. 

The moon is distant and cut on this dark night.

It used to be only in the city, the Wall Sina that it could never be possible to see the stars but with the luminescent stones available to all, they light up the night and the stars here too have near vanished.

Eren turns from such a sky to Levi, having felt the Captain’s eyes upon him though not as acutely as he had before when he’d not been so used to it-

“Captain.”

He tugs at Levi’s sleeve, an enticingly imploring expression on his face, within his disposition.

“It is a selfish request but-”

Levi curtly interrupts.

“But what Eren? As if it ain’t written all over your face already. Your body gives you away. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

Levi steps in closer to Eren, entering his space.

Levi takes a hold of Eren’s hips.

“Or are you unaware of how much you’ve been swaying these,” Levi’s voice is most accusing and remains so even as he glides those hands over, back behind to Eren’s ass and gives it a strong squeeze, “-and moving this, the whole while since you’ve left the bed?”

Eren’s hands are at Levi’s wrists, but Eren puts no strength into his touch knowing it would be pointless to fight a battle he can’t possibly win and such is always the case with Captain Levi.

“Then, with all due respect sir, why have you not taken action until now?”

Levi moves a hand up to Eren’s waist, his other hand (not without giving Eren’s asscheek another squeeze, then a slap) entwining his fingers with Eren’s hand as Eren places his right hand to Levi’s shoulder-

“What a cheeky brat you are, even when getting what you want.”

A jovial beat echoes up into their room through the chilled night air as an accordion is added to the repertoire and about their inn room they dance. Levi leading and Eren falling back in step in suit. A mix of the waltz Levi knows, being begrudgingly taught it just in case for when he attended those rich ass fancy events with Erwin, and some of the more festive dances Eren remembers learning while standing atop his father’s feet and seeing his mother swirl about the room, her joining hands with his father. Them teaching him one day when he gets married what sort of dance can be done.

Levi may lead Eren but Eren responds with what he knows and it makes for interesting twists and turns to be in correlation. They keep it up for a few songs more until finally Eren can’t keep from laughing, at Levi’s serious manner, his occasional (and very loud) swearing when he stepped on Eren’s foot, or Eren knocked his hip too hard against his. Their in tune movement only undone with them knowing a dance to be something else and Eren is breathless from his mirth by the time Levi has had quite enough and they both collapse on the bed. Sweaty and panting from exhaustion of a sort not familiar to them since it is no training ground they’ve gone to.

Their fingers are still entwined as they lay on the bed catching their breath, Eren more so. Levi can’t bear much more of Eren’s smiling face at him, radiant and relentless. Levi has to kiss Eren. Levi moves in, not in the least bit content for the few brief touches of their lips. Eren still giggling, too happy, delighted to have danced with him. Drawing his arms over Levi’s shoulders Eren pulls Levi closer to him, atop of him for a longer kiss. Levi sticking his tongue in Eren’s mouth and Eren’s tongue meeting his happily until Eren is breathless from a different sort of dance.

As their mouths draw apart, panting, the string of their combined spit breaking between them, Eren directs Levi’s hands back to his hips. Looking up at Levi through his long eyelashes, a heated gaze. Eren says-  
“Sir, can you tell… what it is else that I want?”

Levi pushes his mouth against Eren’s neck, inhaling Eren’s scent. His hearing acute to Eren’s breaths, his pulse.

“Ain’t it this Eren?” 

Levi pushes his hips forward so his erection is pressing against Eren’s thick thigh.

“Or am I too late?”

Eren’s hands move from his shoulders to cup his face, gently, tenderly. Voice equally so as he says-

“Of course not, sir. I was only teasing you earlier.”

Levi’s tone dry as he replies in turn.

“Oh, that’s for sure.”

Levi holds Eren’s left hand against his cheek even after the right has moved to start unbuttoning his trousers, reaching beneath the waistline of his boxers to touch at his hard cock, hard even before he’d felt up Eren. Ready from watching Eren move his body, unconsciously, longingly, wanting Levi to notice and do something about it himself. Eren so cute, wanting to rely on him- wanting him-

Levi sucks in a breath harshly as Eren touches him gently, caressing his dick as he had Levi’s face. The digits of gliding over every sensitive inch. Eren’s fingers in his hair as Levi bends over to give Eren another kiss, another, biting at his lips and tongue. Eren meeting him likewise. Levi moves his mouth back to Eren’s neck and bites and sucks at him there. Making his way down to Eren’s chest. Levi pushes up the shirt Eren is wearing, his hands almost regretfully leaving from Eren’s rolling hips. Eren is also rubbing his thigh up against Levi’s erection, Eren’s fingertips on the tip, pressing and circling there. All the while Levi’s tongue is circling round one of Eren’s nipples. Levi not done until both of Eren’s nipples are red and perk from his teeth and tongue, a bite mark visible on one momentarily.

Eren wriggles from his grasp, for only a second to remove his shirt. Levi pulling from him what else he’s wearing. Eren helps Levi unbutton his shirt and take it off, moaning when he sees Levi’s chest and stomach bare; the hard muscle there. Levi takes off his already undone trousers and his boxers, standing up off the bed briefly to pile the clothes neatly and retrieve the lube he’d set on the nightstand. Quickly climbing back into bed and over atop of Eren once it’s retrieved. His hands on Eren’s knees as Eren tries to close his legs. Eren has a fist at his mouth as he tries to stifle his moans and gasps, turned on by the sight of Levi coming for him. Eren suddenly shy, but Levi isn’t having any of it at a time like this. He pries Eren’s legs open first by the knees before moving to grip Eren’s thighs, soft and bruising like that peach he’d brought for Eren to eat. Eren doesn’t bother to try to close his legs with Levi forcing his way between them, Levi spreading them wider as he nestles himself closer. Slicking his cock up in Eren’s plain view who watches him intensely, gratifyingly since it seems like Levi is the one always looking at Eren. After getting his cock ready for Eren, Levi can’t help but tease him more, much to Eren’s displeasure. Levi takes some of his lube wet fingers and pushes them inside Eren. Levi groans on feeling how hot and tight Eren is.

Eren is clutching at the mattress beneath him, whimpering as he rolls his hips and juts out his large ass down to meet Levi’s probing fingers, wanting something thicker and longer to penetrate him. Eren takes what he’s getting for now, begging Levi to go a little faster when Levi seems to be savouring every noise Eren makes from his fingers alone.

It’s not until Eren rises up, spine curling, his fingers in Levi’s hair, drawing down from it to stroke his face that Levi decides he needn’t tease Eren any longer. Eren’s eyes bright and enraptured by the sight of him, the feel of him, the smell of him, wanting more, greedy a monster, ravenous a beast.

Eren locks his lips over Levi’s, spit dribbling down his chin, his bottom lip plump from where Levi bit too hard when they part.

Levi directs his cock to Eren’s asshole, rubbing the tip against the puckered, red and swollen opening, wet and thoroughly plundered. Levi will have another go, with exactly what it is Eren has been wanting.

Levi pushes his cock inside Eren, intertwining their fingers as he does so. Levi staring at their connected hands, Eren’s fingers locked with his. Levi looks over Eren’s heaving chest, his straining throat, his parted lips and moist eyelashes. Levi enjoying Eren’s flushed face as he fucks him, his high little gasps and cries as it feels so good, too good, the best. The mattress, and the bed frame that’s supporting it creaks beneath every single slide back and in, in farther, deeper, harder, that Levi does, moving to watch as his cock moves almost out then fully into Eren. Eren is moaning, trying not to call out his name, murmuring it as he pushes his hips and ass down against Levi’s thick cock. Their movements becoming more frenzied with every other thrust. Eren straining for their hands not to part. Levi moves back down atop of Eren so their mouths are close to the other’s. Eren begs for a kiss from his eyes alone, a tear or two spilling from one. Levi is hard, grower harder inside Eren as he nears climax. Holding against the palm of his left hand, Eren’s moist cheek, tightening his fingers over Eren’s hand on the right. Levi kisses Eren on the lips, then the cheek and the neck as his moans, murmuring Eren’s name in turn.

Eren cums.

Levi cumming inside Eren almost right after, inside Eren to the hilt. Grunting when he feels there will be no more room for his cum least he start to pull out; cum still ejaculating all over inside Eren as Levi starts to draw out. Eren’s gasp and whine needy and petulant that Levi should be anything but as close as he was before.

Levi strokes Eren’s cheek before kissing him again, drawing Eren against him in an embrace, their feet dangling off the side of the bed as they lie down in full aside the other. Levi is figuring they should move so they aren’t lying the wrong way on the bed any longer but as he’s about to mention that to Eren, Eren has buried his face in his neck where he can feel the wet heat of tears.

Alarmed, Levi asks, trying to draw away from Eren’s arms about his shoulders- “What’s wrong Eren?”

Then concerned, perhaps Eren was still exhausted from training, or had an injury he’d been hiding that had not yet healed even for him, or even-

“Hey. I wasn’t too rough was I? You’re not hurt anywhere are you? Show me Eren.”

But Eren will not show even his face to him, and as Levi tries to look upon it Eren rubs at the tears in his eyes unable to stop them, his fingers about them, curling and covering.

Before Eren’s name can leave Levi’s lips again, a somewhat panicked nuance about the Captain’s eyes and mouth, Eren tells him-

“I’m… very sorry sir. I’m n-not hurt anywhere, just-”

Eren is gritting his teeth holding back a sob.

“Is this allowed? Am I allowed to be this happy?”

At first Levi’s heart had been pounding, anxious but now it is a throb, a dull ache as it resonates to Eren’s small and desolate voice.

“So many people have died for my sake… and many more people will surely die when we go to take back Wall Maria…”

Eren’s face that he’d not allowed Levi to see, Eren allows Levi the sight of as he pulls his hands away. A hand hovering at his mouth, that sob escaping, “I don’t have any right to feel this way! Not when… Not since-!”

His mother had died. His father. So many of his friends and comrades. Levi’s Squad. Mr Hannes. Countless soldiers of the Survey Corps. Hanji’s Squad. Who next? Who else will die protecting him?  
Mikasa?

Armin?

…Captain Levi?

Each thought is unbearable, each idea, each contemplation. As Eren cannot stop his tears Levi cannot stop himself from folding Eren into his embrace. Tightly. Covering him up, a hand behind his head so he may lay all those tears against Levi’s shoulder. As if that will be enough to protect him, assure him. But it is no enemy outside or within the walls Levi is facing. It is a guilt and burden he holds as well. An internal strife, a conundrum they will not know the answer to until all has been said and done. Will it have been all worth it? They don’t know. They won’t know until they can finally lay down their swords.

The fact that so many will never know that answer, and may have died in vain is what is tearing Eren apart.

Eren is clutching onto Levi, his nails against Levi’s back. Eren sobbing as he begs- for no one else to die. For no one else to leave him.

Levi strokes Eren’s hair, his lips at his ear.

“Calm down.”

Eren who relies upon him to hear not what that after will be, but what can be done… must be done to achieve a means to end. 

With his friends Eren had promised they would see the sea, that which he’d wondered and exalted the most upon hearing about as a child. Something as blue and vast as the sky? How wonderful and marvelous such a sight must be. 

With Captain Levi what had he promised?

To eradicate all the titans from this earth.

To serve as a soldier of the Survey Corps.

To offer up his heart.

The same promises Eren had made to himself to achieve another.

That promise he made as a child with Mikasa and Armin is not a promise where the Captain exists and that is enough to make him want to reach farther. What lies beyond the sea? Should he live to see the ocean and past it where will the Captain be?

As he lets his tears fall against the Captain’s strong shoulder, the Captain’s fingers stroking through his hair, Eren hears Levi tell him-

“I’m here. Eren.”

Levi draws back to look upon Eren’s tear stained face, Eren’s lips slightly parted and still red from their love making, his eyelashes heavy and moist like his gaze.

“Look at me.”

As Levi looks at Eren, Eren looks at Levi. A few more tears escaping across Eren’s already wet face.

“Listen well. You’re not wrong. Neither of us have a right to be happy, what we have is an obligation. That’s why, even if you’ve got no right, you’re allowed Eren. You’re allowed to be this happy.”

Levi reaches down to kiss Eren’s lips, Eren hesitant to kiss him back. Levi kisses Eren until he gets what he wants and Eren returns each of those kisses.

Eren draws his arms back over around Levi’s back as Levi embraces him, drawing up Eren’s legs. Satisfied when he feels the heels of Eren’s feet against the small of his back as he enters Eren, slowly, staying inside him longer than last time. Trying to assure Eren as he kisses his neck. Trying not to fist his hand in Eren’s soft dark hair.

“Good boy, it feels good don’t it?”

Levi only moves in and out, hastening the pace when Eren nods, starts to moan, louder that through the open window it might be heard, especially since the music ended and many have long gone to sleep while they have not.

Eren looks on the verge of sleep, tired from their travels, from their having sex, from his crying earlier. Levi is rather impressed that Eren had stayed up this late to begin with. Figuring he’d turn in as soon as dinner was over. But Eren had wanted to stay up since the Captain didn’t want to go to bed just yet… well, that might be a bit indulgent on Levi’s part to think, since hadn’t Eren been excited over the music? Levi kisses at what tears remain, falling from Eren’s eyes as he tries to blink his drowsiness away but it’s futile. Levi cums inside Eren a second time, Eren only cumming after Levi gives him is good night kiss.

As Eren falls asleep, Levi can feel himself tumbling down- further- falling harder for Eren as he holds up Eren’s hand, placing it to his breast, his heart.

“Eren. Wait for me. Without fail I will make you happy.”

Kissing that hand, Eren’s finger where a ring should be.

In the dark, his breath caught while Eren’s own evens out in slumber. Levi looks over his cock still inside Eren. Eren’s legs lax as he’s asleep. Levi looks over Eren’s soft parted thighs and his belly, seemingly full from him and with him. Levi bends over to kiss at Eren’s brow, his breast where his heart is beating, then his stomach before pulling out. Levi tsks at the mess, some of Eren’s cum at the corner of his lips from where he kissed Eren on the belly.

Levi goes into the washroom, wetting various cloths to wipe himself down before wiping Eren down. He makes sure to dress Eren in some sleepwear after also trying to clean away the worst stained areas of the bed, then tucks Eren in, fluffing up that pillow he’d used earlier. He covers Eren with every blanket he can find before shutting the window, taking note of the time.

Levi bathes, shaves and changes into his uniform.

Careful to leave a note behind.

Within what remains of the night, Levi equips his 3D maneuver gear and heads out.

\--

It is dim within the room.

Sunlight against the closed shutters, barely peeking through.

Eren touches at the spot next to him despite that sight has already proved what his hands have only begun to register.

He is alone in this bed.

Eren rises slowly, still not entirely awake but displeased. At his bed head? That morning has arrived? His grumbling stomach? His sore body?

Eren stumbles out from the bed to bathe, heating the water Captain Levi had carried up for him from the wells the night before. Eren undresses, sloppily leaving the clothes on the floor and sits in the bath realising the reason to his bad mood.

Where is Captain Levi?

He can’t let the water go to waste and he really should clean himself up. After hastily doing so, not minding the water he gets all over the floor when he gets out of the bath, Eren quickly towels himself dry. Eren gets into his uniform (by habit) and looks around the room for some sort of reasoning.

Perhaps the Captain was out getting breakfast?

Taking a dump?

Had went to check on his horse?

When Eren sees Levi’s uniform and gear are gone-

Had there been an emergency?

But the Captain would not have left him here like this if titans had breached Wall Rose… if it was not that then surely nothing bad had happened?

Eren opens the window, looks out, sees no burning or collapsed buildings.

No chaos or disarray.

Only a peaceful morning as others woke to wash, start the chores and tasks they may have left unfinished the night before, breakfast being made and carts being loaded to carry wares to sell in the marketplace. Eren closes up the window, almost forgetting to brush his hair before he heads out to investigate, wondering if he should change out of his uniform or since the Captain is wearing his… it’s best to remain garbed as such…

As Eren contemplates all this he reaches for some peaches Levi had left out on the table for him, taking a bite in the one he chose since it looks to be the largest. A note falls out from behind the pink fruit he’d moved. Eren almost choking on that bite as he swallows back his laugh, seeing.

It’s a note from the Captain for sure.

Few of words, the only words being on it “come” and his name to indicate that’s what that blob of a person for a drawing to be. His blob is upon a blob of a drawing of what must be Levi’s horse (since the limbs are all on the ground), the arm of his blob pointing in the direction he should be heading. 

Eren finishes his peach and dons his mantle. Pulling up the hood. Tucking the note into the breast pocket of his jacket, he heads for the stables. Rushing out before it can be registered that the emblem on his back is not the usual set of roses that’s typically seen in these parts, but a pair of wings.

\--

Eren is not used to riding such a large horse as this, it being a different case when Captain Levi was here riding with him. Somehow Eren manages as he heads to the woods where east beckons him to go. They’re not the same woods that he and Levi had traveled through to get to town, but are another as many more woods dabble out through the towns in Wall Rose that lay close to Wall Maria. Wall Maria where woods are ever more abundant… his home…

As Eren nears the woods he stops by a patch of blue flowers that catch his eye, suddenly nostalgic. Their form familiar, but not the same. Eren demounts from Levi’s horse to pick a few, surely the Captain won’t mind. Amongst them, near some bushes is a tree standing out from amongst the others, its bark rather pale. It catches Eren’s eye as well, him recalling how his Captain, fond of cleanliness surely is keen about the colour white. He would like such a tree despite it not being the bigass sort he favours. If they go this way on their way back, Eren will show him such a tree... or so he had thought. Upon closer look Eren sees engraved in its bark another message, another drawing of him pointing in direction…

\--

Eren travels as far as he can on horse, following these directions. A multitude of them. Either engraved in the bark of trees, logs or branches- etched out in the mud not too far from the stream that runs through these woods, amongst the roots of the blackberry patch Eren had to stop by as well. His lips stained with blackberry juices when he can’t resist having more than a few (for a moment he feels like Sasha). Those juices only licked off once he comes across the basket Levi has left for him. It hanging on a branch at his next destination. Full of meat, some cheese and bread. A midday meal that matches the time he’s been making. The next drawing to the next destination on the napkin in the basket.

Eren is amused, had it really saved Captain Levi ink or time to draw out the message instead of write it out? Or was he just being considerate, notorious that despite his neat preferences, his handwriting is an atrocious mess, nearly illegible to everyone aside Commander Erwin and Squad Leader Hanji?

Eren remembers the first time he’d seen it. The start of many more times. Levi would sit him down at his desk chair, tired from trying to make it legible and not adept at the patience for it since he never went to school. He’d have Eren write down what he needed to report. Eren careful to change what the Captain be saying to something less… crude. Levi signing off on the work after reading it over, sometimes complaining when Eren made him sound too formal, but mostly content at Eren’s manner of writing since it could be read though it was “too pretty… like a girl’s”. Eren had told him what else could his parents have done? His father, a doctor had almost as crappy handwriting as the Captain’s and his mother was the one who usually looked after him and besides! The Captain had never seen Armin’s handwriting had he? Armin’s handwriting was even more girly than Historia’s! Levi had looked at Eren. Almost taken aback that Eren had outright and somewhat indignantly, insulted his handwriting despite it all to be true. It did look like shit. Eren had looked up from the paper he’d been finishing, startled that the Captain might have… laughed..?

As an apology Levi had brought Eren a bowl of cherries asking if they were sweet enough for his tastes. Eren forgiving him for that quip since he does love sweet things.

A rocky path also similar to the one they’d climbed, Eren ascends on foot. Not trusting himself to direct the horse on such a narrow path. He doubles back a little so the horse is left and tied near that stream, with plenty of grass to eat. Eren finds his way again. Past more trees Eren goes, a floor of white flowers beneath his feet as Eren reaches the wall.

Towering above him.

Covered in red roses, this area of the wall has vines of roses particularly thick due to this area being neglected for its approximation to the forest. Eren sees it has a passageway despite that. Its door ajar. The Captain must be up on the wall, either finding the roses a pain to climb over with all their thorns or knowing Eren cannot climb the wall without his gear (or unless he turns into a titan). It must have been Captain Levi who had cut away the roses to the door leading to the path of the stairs up through the wall. Not readily used by the Garrison it seems. An array of reasons could be, not only the distance into the woods you must go- there could be old fables and superstitions, or actualities like an incident may have occurred here seasons past.

Whatever it be, its seclusion seems to be the reason Captain Levi has chosen such a place. For what? Their training exercise? Come to think of it… why were they out here, far from HQ? At first Eren had been sure it was merely the Captain being kind. Considerate in his own way. As his caretaker Captain Levi has the most power over his life next to fate itself. It made Eren happy that the Captain would go out of his way to see that he gets the rest he needs. Always noticing when Eren has pushed himself too far and warning him about that, protecting him. Spurring him on when he can do more. The Captain is amazing. (Despite that… Eren must say he isn’t sure if he’s getting as much rest as he could have been. By habit Eren hides his smile behind his fingers though the Captain is not here to push them away.)

But Eren can understand that their job, that duty cannot wait and perhaps while trying to help Eren he was still attending to business and tasks asked of him by the Commander? Requested by Squad Leader Hanji? That would be like the Captain, to be responsible about this sort of thing…

Eren sees the picture message etched in the dirt at the foot of the stairs and starts his climb up them.

\--

The passage is dark at first but those stones they found, Levi must have brought a lot more because he’s placed them up every ten steps or so, so Eren can see his way. Rose petals litter over more of the steps the higher he gets and the stones are only few to none as he nears the opening. The light of crimson strikes evening; it seeping into the stairwell, matching the red of the rose petals.

There is one more note at the opening where it shows him being covered by some kind of cloth.

Eren is about to lift up his hood, having pulled it back during the horse ride. Alone in the woods. Curious, had the Captain been expecting it to rain?

When he sees what it is the Captain intends for him to wear.

A sheen white, the edges embroidered with a flow of colourful flowers, the very tips lined up stars in gold. It is a long flowing article of cloth that strikes Eren as familiar but he gives it not too much thought. He must hurry and complete Captain Levi’s instructions. He must go to the Captain immediately.

Eren folds up his mantle and places it in the trunk from where he’d picked up the veil.

A veil…

That is what Eren realises this to be as he dons it, rushing out through the opening of the high end of the stairwell.

Out, as dusk sets the sun.

At his destination all Eren can see is the horizon in the distance, over the woods, the desolate and taken Wall Maria.

Peculiarly, before his eyes- upon the ledge of the wall, is the once blending in red of the cherry wood of the music box from their room back at HQ.

Eren is more than a little confused.

What… who he’d been expecting to be in his gaze, not in sight.

Disappointed at first, until he hears a snip and a snap. Eren turns to see, Captain Levi framed within the red and orange dusk. A dusk which turns maroon and navy. 

Levi is sitting upon an edge of the wall. 

Their luggage, a backpack and a rucksack piled against the side of the same ledge of the wall Levi sits on. One of his legs propped upon the ledge and the other dangling over it. Sword at hand from the gear he’s detached but set next to him. A bunch of roses scattered about him as he trims them and their thorns. The petals littered about like they’d been up and in the stairwell. Eren is stunned for a moment, to see the Captain using his sword in a manner for other than killing titans or teaching how to kill titans.

The Captain seemingly the same. Speechless as his movements cease upon looking up. 

Levi sees Eren.

The starlight they’d lost- regained and climbing behind Eren, stretching above the both of them as the final light of dusk vanishes and night enshrouds their every movement.

With the dark of night and the starlight shining upon them, the pure white of the veil Eren wears makes it seem as if he is glowing. Ethereal and even more painfully beautiful within Levi’s ever vigilant gaze.

Levi had hoped to finish trimming these roses for Eren before he arrived, figuring it’d not be until night has fallen that’d he’d make it back to his side. But from Eren’s pink cheeks, his slight shortness of breath, Eren must have ran up those last steps. Desperate to be with him, lonely since morning.

That was always the case, when Levi told Eren to come to him. Eren always did so. Rushing, hurried, at once. Without a second to lose.

Distracted, thinking only of Eren, a thorn tears into one of Levi’s fingers.

The blood drips down the rest of his finger, onto the stone floor of the wall.

Levi sets the roses he’d been trimming aside, sheathing his sword.

Levi reaches for his handkerchief, but before he can take it out his bride he hopes to be rushes to him.

“Captain Levi!”

Kneeling before him, brow furrowed and mouth frowning. His whole expression worried and pained, Eren is between Levi’s knees as he takes Levi’s finger into his mouth. His tongue sliding over the cut, licking the blood away, then sucking. As he applies pressure to where the cut is. Levi sucks in a breath sharply. Eren’s dark eyelashes long and heavy as he looks down on what he is doing. His face is uplifted before Levi as he sucks. Determined to stop the bleeding.

Levi can hear every wet sound and inhale of breath before his heartbeat takes over in his ears. Eren’s hands on his knees, clutching them like Eren usually does when he sucks him off.

To see Eren like this, on his knees, some of his veil trailing on the dirtied floor-

Levi fights back a moan, angry that he has caused this to happen and that he is turned on despite it. If he could he’d pull Eren up to him this moment and have him ride his cock at the edge of the wall. Eren’s knees would scrape at the stones buried amongst the roses Levi had failed to properly cut. Eren would gasp and sob over how big Levi is inside him and beg for a kiss while clinging to him.

Levi wants to kiss Eren and cup his chin, hold his face to his as Eren cries out his name over and over. 

Eren knows Levi wants this. His sucking around Levi’s finger, growing more lewd as he glides his mouth, his pink lips around it- up and down. Eren’s legs spreading beneath him as he sighs- one of his hands sliding, slowly, sensually, over Levi’s hard thigh, towards the straining bulge- 

Levi grabs at Eren’s wrist to stop him.

Levi pulls his finger out from Eren’s mouth.

The saliva stretching and snapping against Eren’s chin.

Levi looks at Eren’s soft and parted mouth before taking hold of the side of his right arm in hand. Levi makes Eren rise as he does, onto his feet.

Clearing his throat and making sure there’s enough distance between him and Eren that Eren won’t be tempted to push his body against his. Levi holds Eren back at arm’s length. Every inch away from Eren torture. His grip around Eren’s wrist tightening.

“Eren.”

Eren looks over at him.

“Yes sir?”

“Good work making it here. You got here so quick… you didn’t turn into a titan to get here did you?”

Eren is torn between pleased at the praise and appalled by the following accusation.

“Of course not Captain! You instructed me to take your horse and so I did.”

There is a slight pout about Eren’s lips as he gives Levi an almost hurt look.

“A joke, dummy,” Levi says, wishing he could pat Eren’s head and stroke his hair, but it is still beneath the veil.

Levi settles for resting a hand at the back of Eren’s neck, his other hand still holding Eren’s wrist.

“Regardless, there’s still more to be done. I have another order for you.”

Eren is alert and attentive as Levi orders him-

“Go over to that music box and wind it up.”

Eren nods, salutes, “Yes sir!”

Before sliding the rest of him out from Levi’s grip, almost unwillingly despite his willingness to follow his new orders.

Eren hurries over to the music box, the veil trailing out behind him. Levi grinding his teeth, a scowl in place as he sees the stains of blood and the bit of dirt that’s gotten onto Eren’s veil. Displeased especially after the trouble he’d gone through to have it repaired and touched up. Something his mother had never got to wear but was keeping for a day that wasn’t ever gunna come, Kenny had told him. One of the rare times the haughty laugh had left Kenny’s voice. 

Even with his mistakes, the veil is beautiful and even more so with Eren wearing it.

Levi watches as Eren obeys. Eren not knowing the what or why of all this. Eren grabs at the turn up on the side of the music box. The design and metal of the key familiar to the one his father gave him and for a moment Eren’s chest feels heavy. Lasting until the wind up is complete and the music starts to play.

Eren pulls back the lid so the music is better heard. Glad the Captain had decided to keep the music box and not throw it out as he’d been thinking to do. Deciding against it since Eren had protested (while helping him clean the very room they’d found it in). Levi had not a clue “what that dusty old clunky box was” and so Eren had insisted they fix it up together like they do their gear. Teaching Levi that it was a bit like a record player, only that it played one sort of song- the song inside it.

Levi thought it boring and stupid at first before hearing Eren speak of how his mother had had one too. A little bit like this one. Hers had a row of birds flying, while this one has flowers spinning lazily about. Small ones all blossoming as the music plays. Only at the end is when the centre piece, the largest flower comes out to unfurl its petals as a finale. They are really beautiful these flowers even if they are an imitation of the real thing. Their colours remind Eren of the flowers on his veil…

Eren stands back up, having leaned forward to wind the music box. Turning to Captain Levi to inform him that his instructions have been followed. As if the music isn’t enough indication.

“It’s done! Captain!”

Expecting another order, Eren is almost surprised to see that it is a request next.

The very request he’d made the day before.

Levi has a hand held out to him.

Eren moves to take it.

Once again, Eren places a hand to Levi’s shoulder and Levi places a hand to Eren’s hip. They dance.

Slowly, turning, gently in tune to the music box.

“Sorry, this is all I could come up with.”

Levi tells him and Eren shakes his head, turning when Levi turns him. 

A slight smile on Eren’s lips as he tells Levi, “It’s… not bad at all sir.”

Stepping back and around with Levi in the motions of a waltz. The quick, upbeat notes of the band at the inn had inspired Eren’s body in the vigorous dance they’d engaged in previous. But tonight he is beneath the stars, beneath the Captain’s careful hands- to the expected, careful clinking chime of the music box. Almost like a lullaby. Eren closes his eyes for a moment, trusting that Captain Levi will guide him. Opening them upon the next turn to meet Levi’s eyes on him.

With each step towards him, Eren finds it difficult to move too far back, away. The Captain ebbing closer, as it should be. Eren strives to meet him. As the song nears the end, their bodies touch. Levi bearing the distance no more as he holds Eren to him. Their cheeks held to the other’s as the dance becomes merely the melded sway of them coming together, an embrace, rocking, carrying, every as it should be at the tip of Levi’s tongue and within Eren’s contented sigh with Levi so near to him.

As the music box slows to finish, that large blossom, a lily pure white opens upon the blue surface of the painted music box. The other flowers, indigo and blue, red and orange, pink and yellow, atop green leaves- their petals all unfurled, halt.

The last flower opened, the music ends.

Levi pulls away from Eren though Eren resists momentarily, almost confused why Captain Levi would ever part from him.

“Another dance Eren?” Levi says.

Eren nods, delighted and returns to the music box. Hand at the top of the lid ready to close it when he sees within the lily, shining beneath the stars- a band of pure silver, a deep blue jewel set upon it.

Eren remembers many a time as they laid in bed, looking into the other’s eyes. Captain Levi who often praised his, a beautiful shade of green like the leaves of the trees, the grass beneath the sky- how when angry they seemed to flash a molten, unobtainable gold.

A trick of the light Eren had told him, wondering if it was a trick of the dark that Levi’s eyes, grey like steel would seem a deep blue as he looked far ahead. The colour of the ocean Eren has seen depicted in ink. Perhaps not true, but enough to make his heart pound all the same.

The blue from earlier, that set after indigo as dusk fell, relenting to night.

Having picked up the ring, Eren turns to Levi.

“Captain. This-”

Looking from the ring held in his fingers to Captain Levi who is kneeling before him upon one knee.

Levi’s fist in salute over his heart, his other arm behind at his back as Levi looks up towards Eren as if the moon is nothing and there is only the sun.

“Eren. Marry me.”

A second too long, the silence-

Eren walks, standing before Levi.

His expression unsure as he holds a fist to his breast as well, to his throbbing heart. For a while Eren thinks. Turned away from Levi, almost ashamed. Unwilling to meet his eyes. Levi finding Eren’s gaze anywhere but on him unacceptable. Unbearable.

Levi’s voice is rougher than even he intends-

“Hey Eren. It ain’t so hard a decision. Marry me or not. Hurry up and choose!”

Eren flinches, biting at his bottom lip, he turns to Levi. Gaze downcast and moist.

He holds the ring out to Levi, the turn of his lips a frown as he deigns to answer-

An answer that Levi won’t accept, not knowing what it is, only trusting in his intuition that it is not the answer he’d wanted to receive. Levi interrupts, despite his spurring earlier that Eren hurry up.

“What did I say before? That you have an obligation to be happy?”

Eren looks upon him fully and Levi knows Eren had not forgotten, merely-

Levi’s desperation is nearly tangible as he grabs at Eren’s wrist, anchoring him in place so he won’t step away.

“Just marry me already Eren. What are you hesitating for?”

Eren gapes, as if trying to find his voice.

Eren’s voice is unusually quiet as he says, “If Captain Levi orders it of me, then I will.”

Levi’s grip around Eren’s wrist is painful as Eren continues just as so.

“But, otherwise-”

Levi is more than pissed off, rising to his feet, hands moving to grip at Eren’s shoulders.

“Otherwise what Eren? You won’t? You telling me you never thought of it once when warming my bed, when I fucked you until you couldn’t even walked straight in the mornin’, that I’d want to marry you? I want you Eren. I love you, Eren.”

Eren is trying to twist out of his grasp, crying in earnest, adorable, too lovely, truly happy to hear Levi speak of him as such but unable to allow himself to admit it. Levi is at his wit’s end trying to figure out why this is so. Why Eren won’t just say yes.

“Eren. Please. I can’t… I can’t order you to marry me. You have to choose what you want.”

Regardless of his sharp words, Eren can tell Levi feels bad about pressuring him. For the Captain to even apologise to him… not wanting to infringe on Eren’s free will- but truly not expecting anything but yes. Eren wants to say yes but-

“Thank you very much sir. It is as you’ve said. I’ve thought about it countless times. Which is why I’m truly happy you proposed… I… I love you too Captain Levi… and I want to fulfill my obligations… my duty but, at the same time, I don’t want to marry you just because I feel obligated to be happy. I… I’m selfish sir. I want to marry you because I want to.”

Eren’s voice cracks and his intake of breath shaky.

“That’s why! I cannot accept your proposal sir!”

Levi has shot himself in the foot from his own words.

Hating himself from the bottom of his heart.

He’d tried to comfort Eren and in turn had only caused him more pain.

This was not the first time he’d done such a thing. It was stupid, all so stupid because even now, even still he-

“Eren. Care to hear my reasoning? I’m the same.”

Levi cups Eren’s cheek, feeling the tears there against his palm, a nth time, another of too many times.

“I want to have no regrets. Above all else, I will protect you. I will not allow you to die even at the cost of my life. This I swear to you.”

So long as Eren is happy, even if he is not there, but he could make sure it happens. Levi will fight for this, to his last breath. 

Even as those words leave his mouth Levi knows they are not the right ones. Eren doesn’t want anyone else to die for his sake, doesn’t want anyone to die so long as they desire freedom. But that does not change the fact that it is what Levi must do and what Levi will do if that is the only way to obtain their answer. A future.

What Levi wants-

“In this battle to come, I want to be able to fight freely, knowing I’ve done all that I’ve desired.”

Eren holds Levi’s hand against his cheek, a sob escaping him.

“And I want to marry you Eren. I’m a selfish bastard too, if you’re not happy then I ain’t happy either. Do you got that?”

Eren throws his arms over Levi’s shoulders, sobbing in earnest. Levi hating himself even more for always making Eren cry, complete shit at stopping Eren’s tears even when he’s not the cause of them.

“Eren. Marry me if you wanna marry me. Just do what you want and regret nothing.”

Levi hugs Eren tightly to him.

Eren pulls away from him, opening his hand up that’d been clutching the ring. Allowing Levi to take hold of it, Eren offers his hand to Levi. Trying to wipe away the last of his still falling tears on his coat sleeve.

“Understood sir. Please allow me to marry you.”

As Levi slides the ring on.

“Allow me to say, you are mistaken about one thing sir.”

Levi admires Eren’s hand with his ring on it for but a moment before seeing that radiant gold he’s spoke of, praised, coveted, loves- as Eren looks upon him unflinchingly.

“You will not die either, because I will protect you too.”

As Levi takes out the ring he’s made to be matching to Eren’s out from his breast pocket. Eren placing the ring on Levi’s finger in turn. A band of gold, with a green gem. Fine like that of Eren’s eyes beneath a different sort of light-

Eren continues.

“I cannot be happy if you are not with me to share my happiness.”

Holding each other’s hands.

“If I live with you, I must die with you for we must be together always. Isn’t that right, sir?”

Levi almost smiles, had Eren become so conniving, clever, on account of him or were all Yeagers like this?

“Got it, Eren. Let me kiss you already.”

Eren smiles at him.

“Hurry up and kiss me then Captain.”

Levi kisses Eren.

\--

They’d rolled out the bed mat and pillows that’d been tied up atop the backpack.

Eren is above him, naked all but for the ring on his finger and his veil atop his head.

Eren is riding his cock.

Eren’s chest pushed out and his nipples so red, to the tips perked from Levi sucking and biting at them minutes before Eren had rose up to direct Levi’s hard cock into his tight, lube dripping asshole. Swallowing Levi up as he sat back on him. Eren’s legs spread and over Levi’s hips as Eren rolls his hips up, down back and forth, taking Levi inside him to the hilt each time. Levi’s hands gripping Eren’s wide hips, directing him as he did while they’d been dancing. Levi memorising the various colours of the bruises he leaves on them, since those bruises won’t be there in the morning.

It didn’t take long for that one kiss to turn into many others, and as Eren had sucked at Levi’s tongue, Levi had started to take off Eren’s clothes. Levi amused to find that the button up shirt Eren was wearing not his own shirt but one of Levi’s instead. Unrolling the mat, Eren helping (fluffing the pillows) and not helping (by sticking his bare ass up as he bent down); Eren helped Levi from out of his clothes (in the end, Levi only wears his ring as well) before they rolled onto the bedding together. Levi quick to slick Eren up and touch him everywhere his hands could reach and where his hands failed to touch, his mouth went in their stead.

Eren is moaning loudly into the quiet night air, crying as Levi fills him. His hands over Levi’s at his hips. His veil sticking here and there to either the sweat on his back or the droplets dripping over across his large round ass as it’s being filled over and over by Levi’s cock. Levi grunting as he pushes his hips up to Eren’s soft ass. Unable to resist, Levi gives Eren’s ass a rough squeeze when he gets particularly deep inside Eren, causing Eren’s whole body to tremble even more than it is from staying upright. Supported into such a position from Levi’s cock pounding up into him.

Eren’s voice rises higher, the longer he rides Levi. His cock hard and dripping against his full belly as his toes curl up into themselves.

Eren is hot and tight all around him, wanting more of him with each passing second and thrust. Levi grunts as he feels Eren’s legs tighten about him as Eren bends forward, gasping as he can feel Levi move in him, a little out from him that Eren strives to get back inside him as he lowers his stomach against Levi’s harder one. Moaning when his cock is pushing between his full stomach and Levi’s tough muscles. Eren rubs himself up against Levi before bending over as he’d been intending to to give Levi a kiss. A brief peck of the lips that’s too chaste for the fact that Eren is wantonly, debauchedly taking in his cock.

Levi moves his hands up to Eren’s waist before sliding them to his back, coaxing Eren lower for another kiss. Eren gasping sharply as that positions Levi’s cock to delve into him at a different angle. Eren’s mouth is hot and soft like it already is within him, as they kiss messily. Their tongues gliding across the other’s, Levi sucking and biting at Eren’s bottom lip. From how full and plump it is he can’t help but draw his hands back down to Eren’s ass, groping it and pinching at it, parting the cheeks of Eren’s ass further to jut his cock up higher. Eren gyrating down onto his lap, crying out when Levi knocks against his prostrate roughly. Eren’s hands at Levi’s shoulders as he slams his ass back on Levi’s large cock, over and over, liking how it feels at this angle, on the verge of ecstasy as his back curves in and his ass up. Some locks of his hair sticking to his cheek as his veil does to a cheek of his being fucked ass.

As Levi adds strength to his movements, starting to overpower Eren for all of Eren’s zealousness- Eren leans forward again to kiss him on the cheek before upturning his face. All his panting and moaning uncontrolled as he continues to cry out- “Captain! Captain Levi! Ah! Ahhh, ahh, there, there, there! Please more sir! Captain more!”

Levi looks down to the between of their connected bodies, Eren’s dripping cock and his perk nipples. Levi reaches up to bite at one, Eren crying out, gasping as Levi begins to suck on it hard. Twisting the other between his fingers.

Eren lowers his body, whimpering. To rub his swollen chest against Levi’s, his red lips pouting at Levi.

Levi gets another kiss full of tongue and teeth. Eren tiring and allowing Levi to grab hold of his ass and fuck it on his cock as harshly and thoroughly as Levi likes.

“How’s this Eren? How much more you want?”

Eren’s hands are in Levi’s hair as he cradles his head up into his arms. Eren’s chest right in his line of sight, Eren kisses at his brow.

“All of you, I want- ah! All of you sir!”

Levi not swearing under his breath.

“Fuck. Ain’t you too damn cute Eren.”

Levi hurries his motions, his strength leaving darker bruises than before. Eren’s moaning even sounding incoherent as he finds it feels too good to have Levi inside him this much, this hard, this roughly, over and over again. 

Eren cries out Levi’s name over and over as Levi suddenly rolls Eren around to be beneath him. Still pounding into him. Levi’s movements so sudden that his shoulder knocks into the side of the ledge of the wall. Knocking down some of those roses and their petals near Eren’s head. Eren’s veil slipping as his head is braced against a pillow as Levi shoves himself further inside Eren. Eren’s arms still over his shoulders, cupping at the back of his head as Eren drives the heels of his feet up and down into Levi’s back, encouraging him to fuck him even harder than before. Eren pushing his body up to meet Levi’s even as Levi holds him up on every violent thrust.

“Captain Levi, g-give it to me please! Cum inside me already sir! Hurry! Make me your wife! Captain Levi! Captain! Ah-! Ahhh, ahh, nn ah-! Yes! There! There!”

Levi groans, grunting as Eren ruts up against him. Eren eager despite his exhaustion, always wanting to be full of him. Wanting to be with him. Levi has had Eren as his bride for hundreds of nights, scores of days, thinking it to himself over and over with every gentle touch of Eren’s lips. The way Eren would look at him as he cummed inside him. When Eren slept aside him, in his arms. His sleeping beauty, his princess, his bride. It is almost excessive, that after thinking of Eren as his bride for so long, Eren is his bride tonight truly, and will be his wife after the sun rises.

“Captain Levi! I want you! Levi! Sir, please!”

Eren clings onto him, nails digging into the back of his neck, across his back as Levi buries himself inside Eren and gives Eren what Eren has been begging for, wanting for what must have been too long a time already.

Levi cums thickly inside Eren, moaning as he does so, saying Eren’s name over and over, swearing more over how adorable his wife is, how beautiful, how lovely his Eren- as Eren cums too, stickily and hotly between them. Levi kisses Eren, Eren kissing him back until his exhaustion overtakes him and asleep Eren falls within Levi’s arms.

Levi lying beside Eren, Eren tight against him as it is tight within him. Levi pulling out only after a long moments rest. Levi grits his teeth as he takes out his cock, wet from Eren’s hole and his cum, it dripping still.

Eren is fast asleep and does not wake, even as Levi rests heavily next to him. A hand to Eren’s cheek, caressing it, his fingers pushing away Eren’s soft hair. Eren’s eyelashes, long even when they’re not resting against his cheeks as they are presently, so pretty. Levi sleeps lightly before he can tolerate the mess no more, he finds a couple of cloths for cleaning. Wetting them with water from a drinking canister, he wipes himself down. Wanting to bathe but unwilling if it means leaving Eren alone. Levi contemplates carrying Eren down to the river but wants Eren to sleep. He will wait he figures, until Eren wakes. But even after Eren wakes from Levi toweling his semen off him, they do not immediately leave, instead resting still. Such is how irresistible Eren is, coaxing Levi back down to lie beside him. Eren snuggles against him and pulls over them the blanket that’s been almost forgotten from the heat of their lovemaking.

As Eren makes himself comfortable in his arms. They share a pillow. Their faces close, noses near touching in the once gleaming darkness.

Eren’s voice typically loud, mostly inappropriately so is only as such because of the open space before them, along with the current hour.

“Sir there’s something I’ve been wondering about.”

“What is it.”

Eren thinks over his thoughts a little more, before phrasing it into a question.

“How is it the Garrison has not come by at all?”

Notorious slackers, depending on the region and area of the wall. It could not be said they were all drunks. Not after Wall Maria fell. And it was not like drunks did not fight when they thought they must either. Eren’s face is melancholy a second too long before Levi replies. Almost nonchalantly. Not expecting that to be what Eren would ask.

“Because they’re too chicken shit.”

Eren looks at Levi almost shocked at his lack of delicacy though there is nothing unusual about it. 

“How… how is that so?” Eren asks, imagining Captain Levi threatening all the Garrison back in town to stay away if they wanted to keep their hands or go home without a broken nose or something like that but rather than Levi promising violence as he’s prone to-

“None of ‘em who’re from this area come near this part of the wall since one of their own fucked up and broke his neck from falling off it. They think it’s haunted or some crap like that even though it’s been like… shit, what did that bastard from the Garrison say? Sixty? Seventy? Old as balls years ago.”

Levi feels Eren tense in his arm.

A scowl touches at Levi’s features.

“Oi. Don’t tell me you’re scared of that kind of shit are you? Eren.”

Eren has scooted closer to him, his face at Levi’s neck.

“W-well… kind of… that sort of thing doesn’t bother you at all Captain?”

Levi’s scowl is gone since this sudden childish bout of fear has brought Eren closer to him.

“Of course not. Ghosts can’t touch you, what you gotta be afraid of them for? You can turn into a goddamn titan. You may not be able to smash what ain’t there but you sure as hell can take on just about any other guy so who fucking cares?”

Eren considers Levi’s words, before rolling over, atop of him. A mischievous expression almost in place.

“That’s right sir. And you are here with me. My husband’s grouchy face is way scarier than any ghost! I’m sure if a ghost were to see your face they’d run away!”

It takes Levi a few seconds more than usual to figure a reply, heart skipping and in his throat on hearing Eren refer to him as ‘my husband’. When Levi does figure some words out, it’s something he would typically say.

“Ha? What are you saying Eren?”

For a moment Eren thinks he is in trouble for making fun of Captain Levi’s face but the Captain then says- 

“Ghosts can’t run away Eren, they ain’t got no feet.”

Eren looks at Levi in confusion.

“Captain Levi… is this an Ackerman belief? Mikasa says the same thing…”

Levi looks at Eren, expression deadpan.

“Ah, well she’s the one who told me. I’ve never seen a ghost so I figured I’d take her word for it. You’re going to have ask her if you really want to know.”

Eren mulls over what sort of situation there’d been for Captain Levi to have had such a conversation with Mikasa. 

He rolls back down to be beside Levi, giggling when Levi pulls him closer to him like before. Levi musing since they’re married Eren will have to change his name to Ackerman. Funny, since Levi isn’t quite used to it either…

Levi kisses him good night and Eren kisses him the same.

They sleep a few hours more.

\--

They wake before the sunrise.

The bedroll packed up. Just as they’d helped each other out of their clothes they help each other back into them. Eren ties Levi’s cravat. And Levi fixes Eren’s mantle over him, buttoning it. Eren’s veil put away, with the music box and the rest of their things. Levi has equipped his gear and insists when they leave he will take the heaviest of the luggage. He did bring all of it previously; he does not lack the strength. Eren doesn’t bother to hide his smile this time, imagining Captain Levi encumbered by everything as he flew with the 3D maneuver gear. Captain Levi looking at him almost suspiciously but enjoying the view. Checking over the area to make sure they’d not left anything, and confirming it so. Levi gathers the roses and finishes trimming them. Tying them up in a bundle for Eren to take. Holding them out to him.

Eren accepts them graciously. Holding the flowers close to his face so he can smell their sweet scent. How deep is the red of the roses, matching to the dusk before they’d wed… it does not share the same colours of the dawn that races out, scattering the night sky from indigo to blue. The sun with its rays, bright light of yellow then white rises as it brings into view the other colours about them. The grey of the stone beneath their feet, the green of the trees that match Eren’s eyes and their mantles, the blue sky that they are closer to being up so high.

As the sun takes to their sky, Levi takes Eren’s hand.

Watching the dawn together.

Eren pulls at Levi’s hand to have a closer view, turning to look beside him to make sure the Captain is with him though their fingers remain intertwined.

The Captain stepping with him as Eren jumps onto the edge of the wall.

Eren looks towards the dawn, over the light that first spreads across Wall Maria before Wall Rose, to Wall Sina. 

The light racing over them, past them, behind them.

Looking over the wall Eren sees that titans are approaching.

Not many, a scattered few, immobile from the fallen night, brought back into motion by the sun and their voices.

Eren looks to Levi, Levi already leaning towards Eren for a kiss.

They kiss.

However, once their lips part from the other’s-

Eren unclasps their hands and steps off from the wall, throwing up his bouquet of red roses. It flies above him as his mantle swirls about him and Eren brings his hand up for a bite. The blood that splatters up into the air after the roses just as red. The light that strikes the earth just as he does; Eren transformed into a titan, is as bright as the dawn. 

Levi tsks under his breath before jumping from the wall as well. Gear whirling about him as he extends some cable to latch onto Eren’s shoulder and bring him up upon it, in a better mood once he thinks of how pissed Hanji would be to know she’s missing out on all this.

“Hey Eren, what was that about going together?”

Levi is pulling at Eren’s titan ear, an almost amused crease about his eyes ruining his scowl as he scolds him.

“I hope you’re ready for your punishment as soon as this is over.”

Eren is glancing over to him. Levi can tell Eren understands him, if the sweat on the back of his titan’s neck is any indication minus the apologetic glint in those large eyes just as green as Eren’s.

Levi continues.

“Also, don’t get too cocky just because you’re in this form.”

It is more for Eren’s sake that Levi says the following, knowing how much Eren loves this sort of thing. Is prone to laying on Levi’s lap and being all over him once he mentions-

“Why don’t we see which one of us will have the higher kill count today.”

Eren’s titan gives out an enthused roar as Levi kicks off from him, flying first. Eren will get after him for that, countering all his complaints with it and so many kisses that Levi will just give the fuck up.

Levi calls back against the wind, drawing out his swords-

“Let’s go! Eren!”

Eren responds by smashing his fist into a titan right near the titan that Levi had drawn his swords for, to cut the nape.

When they’ve near exhausted the gas supply in Levi’s gear and Eren is just about at his limit they return to the wall. The entire surrounding forest with a haze of smoke rising from it from all the demolishing, crumbling bodies of the titans they’ve slain.

Carrying Eren in his arms, the marks upon Eren’s face a prominent Levi has not seen since he had decided he was going to take Eren away for sure.

Levi kisses at Eren’s brow. Eren finding that to be not enough even while on the verge of sleep, pulls Levi’s face down to kiss his mouth. No longer resisting slumber after getting what he wants. The kill count to be discussed another day.

Standing on the ledge of the wall at the edge, a few more rose petals beneath and about the heels of his boots. Levi looks down at his sleeping beauty. His mantle, the wings on his back flowing, unfurling as the wind rises above them.

It is a sight Eren would have loved to see had he been following behind his Captain, instead of resting before him in his arms.

But if you ask Levi, the Captain much prefers it like this.

Distantly, past the traveling wind, Levi can hear the calling of bells.


End file.
